New Scooby On The Block
by Flitter
Summary: The whiny bitca gets slapped down, Spike returns, and someone who *thinks* she's on acid turns up. Dawn shippers, find *other* fic!
1. Dawn and the mindless teenage fun

New Scooby on The Block  
  
Dedication: to the greatness that is Insane1. Briulliant stoiries, and someone who reviews, and someone who will asave my little stories on occasion. She hates Dawn, here's a story she will find satsifying.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't shoot! Me innocent, me no own, me plead guilty!  
  
Setting: Season 7/ season 4 England for Giles, America for BTVS andAI crew. All will be revealed.  
  
  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Giles was sitting at his desk in his study, as he leafed through some papers the Council had given him to file. It was tedious, and time onsuming, but the best thing about it was the Watcher's retreat coming up in a week's time. And that new Watcher, Fiona who seemed to like the look of him. He suddenly read a passsage, and stared at the old paper, shocked. Carefully, he cleaned his glasses, as he reread the section, again and again.  
  
I've got to call Buffy  
  
  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
In the Summers house, Dawn's birthday was *finally* being celebrated. The music was loud, and tasteless, the munchies were disgusting, and Dawn was surrounded by friends, loving every minute of it, while the Scoobies hid miserably in the kitchen.  
  
"The house has been invaded by something I can't kill," Buffy said, her head propped up on her hands.  
  
"Calm, Buff, they can't do anything really dangerous, they're seventeen year olds!" Xander reassuired her.  
  
"Yeah, seventeen year olds who's main aim in life is to rub up against one another!" Buffy replied ruefully, then looked shocked at what she'd just said.  
  
"I should have locked the bedrooms! And put away all sharp objects! And.." she trailed off, as Willow grinned. "What?" "Sorry, it's just you making a big fuss about this, and you're the one who desouled Angel on her birthday!" Willow replied. Since her return from a rehabilitation centre, she had returned to the easy to talk to Willow, with added confidence. Oz had returned, and helped her through it, and although Willow was never, as she put it, "returning to Boys Town," the two were good friends, althouugh the subject of Tara was one avoided.  
  
The doorbell rang, and Buffy was elected the one to wade through the wreckage to the front door. Pulling open the door, she stood and stared at the two people standing on the doorstep.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Angel stood, and sort of squirmed. Connor watched his dad in amusement, a 250 odd vampire scared of his soulmate? It was hilarious to watch.  
  
"Yeah. Buffy, can we come in?" Buffy sized up the guy standing beside Angel.  
  
"I'm guessing this is Connor, right?" The short phone call in which Angel had explained everything as quickly as possible told her who this person would be. "Hi Miss Summers, I'm Connor," he said politely, shooting a look at his Dad. The woman was tiny! How could she scare his father so easily?  
  
Dawn danced over from a group of people, to the door.  
  
"Ooh, new person! I'm Miss Summers, can I help you?" The glances she was giving him made Connor feel distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
"No, I don't think so," he replied, giving her a definate brush off. Dawn seemed to ignore it.  
  
"Oh, come on. Come in, eat cake, listen to music, party! Have fun!" Connor gave a desperate 'Get me out of here before desperate teenager eats me!' look to his dad, and being a typical dad, Angel ushered him into the room.  
  
Thanks *so* much, Dad. Remind me of what to get you for father's day, a nice Stake, perhaps?  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"So, Angel, why you here?" Xander's normal question/comment covered what everyone wanted to know.  
  
"Er, well, Giles told me to. He's come up with a new crisis, and one he needs our help with. All of us. So he rang, and we came." Angel stated. Everyone looked rather nervous.  
  
"A *new* crisis? Why does this keep happening? Wasn't Glory enough?" Anya said.  
  
"I don't think he meant apocalypse bad, just generally bad, right Dad?" Connor said, walking into the kitchen.  
  
"Why are you in here? Didn't Dawn introduce you to some nice Sunnydale teens?" Angel asked. Connor rolled his eyes.  
  
"Uh, how old are you Connor?" Buffy asked. Connor looked puzzled.  
  
"Seventeen, and a lot of months, why?" he said, perpexed.  
  
"Dawn's on 'I need a crush, and you'll do' scout at the moment, and you being even two months older than her means you fit right in!" Buffy grinned.  
  
"So she's not *normally* pushy, overly flirtatious, and boring?" Connor asked incredulous.  
  
"I don't think Connor's people skills are that good yet. Too much time with Cordy," Angel laughed, swatting his son on the shoulder.  
  
"Ow!" Connor said, staring at him.  
  
"Shut up!" Angel said out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
Just then, the phone rang, and everyone dived for it.  
  
"Hi Giles!" Dawn said, happily. 


	2. mmmm...naked Legolas!

Giles sighed with impatience. "Dawn, get *off* the phone, and give it to your sister. And turn that racket down!" he said sharply. Dawn grinned.  
  
"Happy to talk to, huh? I know what this is about, it's my birthday, c'mon, you can't tell me you're calling me, on my birthday, and it's not to wish happy birthday?" she giggled.  
  
The one thing that has grown as she has got older is her power of annoyance! Giles thought, as he cleaned his glasses.  
  
"Dawn, this is important. Give the phone to your sister," he said again.  
  
I think her brains have been killed off by that dreadful music  
  
"Okay, Giles!" Dawn said happily, and handed the phone to Buffy, who was standing nearby, tapping a foot on the ground, as the guests stared at her.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"Giles, what's wrong?" asked Buffy urgently, as soon as she had escaped from the hormone filled room into the kitchen, where the scoobies stood, looking anxious.  
  
"It's not so much, wrong, as suprising. However, we should have expected it, seeing what happened the last itme. I'm just surprised at the timing of it. Perhaps they thought we had too many, or she wasn't old enough," Giles said.  
  
"Cut the cryptic, Giles, what's up?"  
  
"Slayer. New Slayer. And she's about to face up to one heck of a fight." Giles said. Buffy dropped the phone.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"Giles? What did you say? Buffy's gone into a state of shock, and if it's that bad, we need to know!" Willow remarked.  
  
"Willow, there is an new Slayer, who has just been called. She has no idea of what it is that she is, and the Council were loathe for her to be Chosen, her situation being.." Giles paused.  
  
"What?" Willow demanded.  
  
"She's being pulled in from an alternate dimension."  
  
"HUH?"  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Cat hit the alarm, and sent it flying off the chest beside her.  
  
"Cat, get down here *now*! It's ten to eight, you have to leave soon!"  
  
Cat sighed, as she tossed back the covers. Yet another school day at the hell hole. She pulled up the blinds, wincing at the sunlight, and quickly got into her school stuff, and brushed her teeth.  
  
"Cat! Breakfast! Now!"  
  
God, does that woman ever stop yelling?  
  
"Coming!" Cat scooped her homework off the desk, and into her rucksack, as she hurtled down the stairs.  
  
"Good morning," her mother said, standing at the bottom of the stairs. Cat rolled her eyes.  
  
"Once again, you have managed to roll out of bed ten minutes before you leave the house. This isn't on, Cat. You must get up earlier. All that Buffy watching last night meant you went to bed even later, and I don't think you should be spending all your time watching that silly soap opera." Her mother picked up a handbag, and let herself out of the house.  
  
Cat walked into the kitchen, and stuck some bread in the toaster.  
  
"Hey Sam!" she said, patting the ancient Lab who came out and greeted her with a feeble wag. Glancing at the clock, realising she had exactly ten minutes for a fifteen minute walk, she grabbed her toast, and raced out the door.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"What do you mean, new Slayer? There's been three of us already! There are two on the go! Why add another one to the Slayer package!" Buffy asked, her voice rising higher.  
  
"Dad, didn't you say she was the Chosen *One*? "Connor asked reasonably. His Dad waved at him, staring at Buffy.  
  
"Look, Buffy, apparently she's coming out of this other dimension tomorrow, so we can prepare. And there's this big warrior she's supposed to face, we'll do our best to help her, and then another Slayer will do her job. It's not so hard," Angel said, holding Buffy's hand.  
  
"But, Slayers. Three of them. Weird," Oz said, and Willow rolled her eyes.  
  
"C'mon Buffy, she's only fifteen. What's annoying about fifteen year olds?" Buffy just raised an eyebrow.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"Hey people," Cat greeted her friends, and Jo raised a hand in greeting. The rest were engrossed in their mobile messages, and every now and then, a small 'beep' would emit, showing that the furious typing was returned.  
  
"Okay, don't say hi,"Cat muttered, as she pulled her homework diary from her bag.  
  
"Cool weekend?" Jo asked, and Cat rolled her eyes.  
  
"My brother invited all his little friends around, and danced in and out of my room all night, because I wasa out babysitting," she complained.  
  
"Done the drawing yet?" asked Fee. Carefully, Cat pulled her art jornal from her bag, and removed the chalk sketch.  
  
"Legolas in the flesh," she said cheerfully, and then frowned. "Or, fleshless. Or, what am I talking about?" Jo just grinned. Used to Cat's babble, she took the sketch, and looked at it.  
  
"You're really good at this, "she said, looking at the sketch Cat had worked on. They had all been on to a site that had a naked picture of Legolas, aka Orlando Bloom, but the picture didn't go far enough to satisfy the fifteen year olds. Cat had drawn a version of the sketch, based on Life classes she was taking, and the result was something to drool over until registration.  
  
"Yeah, I know!" Cat smirked, and ducked as Jo batted her with her file.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
"So what, a teenager is going to drop from the sky today, and be the new Chosen One?' Dawn asked, as she followed Buffy round the Magic Box.  
  
"Something like that. She's supposed to be in the exact same place I was when I died, so we're hoping that means *on* the ground, not above it" Buffy said, distractedly.  
  
"So she's gonna be the new Scooby, huh?" Dawn said hinting heavily. She had wanted to be involved, but the first day Buffy took her on patrol, she'd broken a nail, and had cried off since then, and avoided research.  
  
"Nuh uh. She'll be wherever the Council send her. And she'll learn from Angel and me until she gets posted. Apparently, the guy assigned to be her watcher, because she's *difficult*, died in a vamp attack, so now we have to do the beginning bit," Buffy replied.  
  
"But she'll be younger than us, right? Fifteen. You wouldn't let *me* patrol when I was fifteen!"  
  
"That's because you are a child. She is a teenager. And a Slayer. She has no choice," Buffy said, andpicked up a book.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^ "So, do you think he likes you?" Cat asked Jo, watching sureptitiously the guy sitting in the corner of the cafeteria.  
  
"I don't know!" Jo sighed, flipping her long auburn hair over her shoulder. Drop dead gorgous, Jo was the only one who didn't believe it.  
  
"He's coming over!" Cat whispered, and Jo started talking about boring stuff they'd learnt today as the guy got closer to their table.  
  
"Hey, Cat, you're in my art class, right? Who's this?" Ben asked, indicating Jo. Cat smiled. "Didn't you say you were looking for a French tutor?" she asked Jo. Jo looked confused. Yeah, she wasn't doing so good in French, but what did that have to do with the guy standing in front of her?  
  
"Ben here's fluent. He could give you a hand, couldn't you Ben? This is Jo, by the way!" Cat laughed. Ben looked at Jo.  
  
"Yeah, sure. When do you want to start?" he asked. Jo smiled.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
That night, Cat sat in her PJs in front of the computer, and signed in to MSN.  
  
'Jo is online' read the little doodah, and she clicked on it.  
  
-Hey Chica  
  
-Hey! Ben taught me the future conditional!  
  
-Ooh, fun! Tlking and luvin r we?  
  
-Shut up! Oh god, I've got OMWF playing in the backround, and I've got SMG stk in my head.  
  
-Who would b so stoopid 2 dump Spike? The guy's in love!  
  
-Yeah, but Joss can't let anyone b happy. That's against the buffyverse!  
  
They continued in this vein, until Cat's mum decided that sleep was more important tonight, and she fell asleep.  
  
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
A blinding flash lit up the bedroom, and Cat sat up, her eyes open, staring blearily, as the scenery changed, and the air around her went cold. Trying to stand up, she found herself suspended in mid air, and dropped.  
  
"Oh fu**!" 


	3. Okay, one pissed off British teen coming...

A/N : Don't flame me for this Chapter please! I tried to get some friends to check it out, but they haven't sent an opinion. I'm not entirely sure about it, so if ya do like it, press the pretty button, and relieve my torment! If ya don't do the same thing, and kill me. (kidding) Though some of you might want.. Rambling now.  
  
The gang waited patiently for the new arrival to, well, arrive. Oz and Willow were babysitting Dawn, although the need for a babysitter was questionable in *everyone's* mind, but because it had become procedure, it happened.  
  
Just then, a scream rang out in the air, and all of them raced to the place where it came from. A dazed brunette in very old PJs stood where Buffy had landed, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Okay, much with the *ouch*!" she said, then took in the people surrounding her.  
  
"And with the weirdness."  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Spike shoved the door open with his foot, he was so dog-tired that he barely made it into the crypt before stumbling and falling.  
  
"Home bloody home," he said, sighing, as he fell into deep slumber.  
  
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Dawn sat on the couch, pouting. It wasn't fair! Oz and Willow were watching TV, and although she'd *nicely* requested going to Janice's, they had refused. Okay, so she wasn't going to go to Janice's, she wanted to go to the frat party that she and her friends had been invited to, but it couldn't hurt to have a little trust!  
  
She crossed her arms, glaring at the TV. A stupid movie was on, Snow White, she'd hated it from the age of five, and Buffy too, but Oz and Willow were wrapped up in it, only coming out of the Disney induced stupor to smile at one another.  
  
If they're playing Mummies and Daddies starring mew as their kid, I'm *so* out of here!   
  
Dawn watched for a reaction, and got up and went upstairs.  
  
" Night honey," Willow called, and Dawn grimaced.  
  
I wonder if I could borrow one of Buffy's stakes?   
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Cat picked herself up, dusted herself off, and stared at the people around her.  
  
"Haven't you ever seen a teenage girl drop out of the sky in her pyjamas?" she demanded, her hands on her hips. The guys were staring, and the girl just looked *very* puzzled.  
  
"Actually, no." Cat shook her head a second. It *looked* like a very twisted version of her fantasies of dropping in on the Buffy set, in the *metaphorical* sense, and being a famous actress. Considering she lived in Suffolk, England, that was hardly going to happen. And now, unless somehow her scented candles induced hallucinations, it looked like her dream had come true.  
  
Did I just think that? Ooh, *bad* inner monologue!   
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Connor stared at the girl, who seemed to have a problem with that. And his Dad was staring, and Buffy just looked *very* confused.  
  
"Er, Dad, this doesn't *often* happen in this dimension, right?" he asked nervously. " Who *are* you?" Buffy asked, ignoring Connor.  
  
"I'm Cat. Who are *you*?"  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Cat took in the very much a Sarah Michelle Gellar lookalike, and pinched herself.  
  
"Oww! Painful, and *so* not funny! This *is* a dream. And some way, I got to wake up. *Now*!" she cried, as she rubbed the pink mark she had made.  
  
"You're awake," the Angel lookalike volunteered.  
  
"No shit Sherlock," she fired back. "That hurt! Which means not a dream. Which means either I'm on a *bad* acid trip, or this is real."  
  
Angel stared at the girl. She *looked* fifteen. She didn't act like it, but then Connor didn't act like a baby, and technically, he was, so that could be deceiving. And the accent that was bothering was sounding more and more like Spike.  
  
"Er, Buffy, do you think she could be the girl?" he asked. Buffy nodded.  
  
"*Buffy*? Buffy? The only people who own names like that are either very podgy spaniels, or a TV programme star, and I don't think either of those apply to you, so if you can direct me to the nearest funny farm, I can drop you off before I go to Laa Laa land."  
  
"She talks funny," said Connor. Angel looked at him, and nodded.  
  
"Hey! I happen to be one hundred percent British, thank you very much! Now, wake me up!" Cat yelled. Her dream was boring, and cold, and in no way involved whipped cream, and Spike. She wanted out!  
  
"We kinda can't. You see, I *think* you're the girl we're looking for. And that means, you're the Slayer," Buffy explained to the nice lunatic. She *seemed* like the girl they were supposed to find, but the best way to find out was nasty, and the girl standing infront of her seemed like she needed a nice new coat that tied behind her.  
  
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever. And you're Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and you want to take me and Mulder to a meeting of the Scoobies at which Homer Simpson will be experimented on." Cat said, with *definite* use of sarcasm.  
  
I don't *like* this dream!  
  
There was only one way to find out. The nasty way. Buffy withdrew a knife from her pocket, and threw it at the girl's head. She hit it out of the way.  
  
"Works for me," Buffy said shrugging, and walked off, towards Giles, and people that actually talked without sounding like they swallowed the TV guide. Angel and Connor followed.  
  
Cat was shocked. The bizarre blonde had thrown a knife at her!  
  
"*Excuse* me!" she yelled. They stopped, staring at her. "I may be fifteen, and slightly weirded out her, but you threw a *knife* at my head!"  
  
"Yeah. Merrick did it to me. You're a Slayer, what you worried about?" the blonde said, staring.  
  
"A Slayer doesn't exsist! It's some phsyco creation of a geriatric hippie called Joss Whedon on an acid trip! " Cat yelled. Now she was *sure* they were delusional.  
  
"Yeah. Just come with us."  
  
For want of something better to do, (and the fact she wanted to talk to someone who didn't seem to jump straight out of her favourite TV programme) she followed them. 


	4. Convincing Cat

Buffy swung the door open and led 'Cat' in. The girl seemed highly annoyed, much the way she had been with Merrick, but seemed to be holding in her anger at the moment.  
  
"Guys?" she said outloud, and on the sofa, Willow stirred sleepily from her position and stretched, smacking Oz in the nose.  
  
"Yeah, Buffy, we're here," she yawned. And stared at the girl.  
  
"Willow, this is Cat. She fell out of the sky when we were waiting for the Slayer, so we were hoping you could find out who she is," Buffy explained. Willow began to shake.  
  
"Buffy, I'm not. I can't.. I don't *do* magicks anymore," she said, a tremble in her voice. The thought of the power surge, and the rush of the feeling of magick coursing through her veins was so tempting..Willow pushed it aside, and looked plaintively up at her friend. Oz scowled on her behalf.  
  
"How can you ask that?" he demanded. Buffy crossed her arms defensively.  
  
"I'm not. I'm asking Willow, as one of the nicer people here, to find out who this girl is, through *asking* her," she explained. Willow smiled with relief.  
  
"Yeah, sure, I can do that," she replied, and went over to where the girl stood, and pl;aced a hand on her arm.  
  
"Don't *do* that!" she yelled, and pushed Willow away. Wiillow crashed into Angel, who was standing a few feet away. The girl stared at her arm, mystified by the power.  
  
"*Now* will you let us talk to you?" Buffy said, an eyebrow raised. Mutely, the girl nodded.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Cat stared at herself. She couldn't even shove her *brother* that hard at home, and she'd pushed the redhead halfway across the room. She'd heard that some drug highs made you feel stronger, but surely her body wasn't capable of that kind of strength?  
  
"Now will you let us talk to you?" the blond asked, and she nodded, wanting to know more.  
  
Cat sat down in the chair, dressed in some of 'Buffy's' clothing, seeing as how her PJs weren't exactly standard dress here. She'd combed her hair, and tried to wake up, but it seemed this wasn't a dream.It had to be a hallucination, or a really *bad* joke, and she'd decided to play along.  
  
"What's your full name?" 'Willow' asked, gently.  
  
"Catherine, Emily Buckingham," she replied. "But everyone calls me Cat."  
  
"Cat, how old are you?" Willow asked the girl again, at least she was answering the questions now, and not declaring them insane. Her shoulder still *hurt* though, she reminded herself, wincing.  
  
"I was 15 in September."  
  
"So you're nearly sixteen, then." Cat looked up, puzzled. To her, she'd been 15 two month s ago, and it was nearly Christmas. Judging by their cxlothes, she'd say it was late summer here.  
  
"No. I was 15 two months ago," she replied, honestly. Willow looked up at Buffy. "It must work differently over there," she said, and Buffy nodded.  
  
"Where are you from?" The questions resumed, nicely, but firmly.  
  
"Suffolk, England. London originally, but I moved to Suffolk about seven years ago."  
  
"What do you know about magick, and Slayers?" Cat smiled. So they were still peddling that, were they?  
  
"Magick doesn't exist. At least, not levitation, and stuff like that. There's this thing called Wicca, but it's a religion, and the spells they do, are stuff like blessings, and get well stuff. No bad stuff," she explained, watching their faces look confused now.  
  
"Slayers don't exist. Except on a show called Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which has been on for about six years. Apparently, the Council, in charge of them, is based in London, but we still don't get the show until after America has seen it," she remembered, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"So what about vampires? Do they exist?' Willow probed.  
  
"Nope! There are weird cults that *believe* they are," she offered, "They bite people and stuff, but they're not vamps. And don't go telling me vamps are real, cos I watched a documentary that told me howe they make the Grr faces, so that can't fool me." She sat back, and crossed her arms.  
  
"So how d'ya think you pushed Willow across the room like that?" Buffy queried. Cat felt perplexed. She hadn't tried to explain that one.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe I'm strong, or I took acid or something. I have no idea."  
  
Buffy grinned at Angel.  
  
" I think you're gonna have to prove it to her," she said, and Angel morphed.  
  
"Do you believe *that*?" she asked, smiling. Cat shook her head. Buffy sighed.  
  
"Angel, I can understand you're avoiding this, but bite her!" she ordered.  
  
"Buffy! I know you might not like her, but Angel eating her isn't a good idea!' Xander protested.  
  
"If Angel bites her, she'll have to know it's real," Buffy replied, and looked at Cat.  
  
"Fine." Cat said with a smirk. Angel walked over, and grabbed Cat by the shoulders. She looked up, momentarily terrified by the long fangs, and yellow eyes. He pushed her head to one side, roughly, and grazed herr neck with his teeth. She jumped. Slowly, he sank razor sharp fangs into her neck.  
  
"OOOOOWWWWWWW!" Buffy smiled. Cat believed them!  
  
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Cat rubbed her neck ruefully, and tried to wipe the blood off. They were all staring at her now, with their arms folded.  
  
What *else* would they come up with if I didn't believe them now?  
  
"It's okay, guys, chill. I believe you, judging by the thing that looks like a killer teenager's hickey," Cat said, and touched the cut again. She pulled her hand away. The puinctures were closing over, and the blood had dried! She stared up at Buffy.  
  
"Now what?' Buffy asked. Cat indicated her neck. "Accelerated healing. Part of the Slayer package," Buffy replied simply. Cat looked dazed.  
  
"So you're saying that a fifteen year old English teen has been catapulted into an non exsistant town in America to become some ancient flower child's idea of a female rolemodel?" Cat said to hereslf.  
  
"Why question it? You're here, and you gotta learn how to control your power, ewven if you do go." Xander stopped. Cat was staring at her hands.  
  
"Go back? If I'm in Sunnydale, then where's home? My mum, my friends, my dog?" she looked up, and they could see her cheeks damp with tears. "If I'm here, then I can hardly be there, can I?" She fell silent, and the gang shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"I think Cat, you'd better stay here tonight. If I put you on the couch here, Angel, if you guys are gonna go off to your hotel room, you'd better do it now. Dawn's in bed, right?" Buffy asked anxiously. Willow smiled, and nodded.  
  
"Maybe tomorrow, you can share with her, or something," Buffy said to Cat, and Cat nodded. She led Cat upstairs, and ushered her in to the bathroom to shower.  
  
"Dawn? You awake?" Buffy asked, knocking on her sister's door. No answer.  
  
Must be asleep.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&&^  
  
Dawn pushed hard on the crypt door, and stumbled in the dark. Clem had gone off to to find out when Spike would be back, anxious about his friend. Something about a mindreading demon in L.A. She always came here, she missed him.  
  
She walked over to the trapdoor, and yanked it up. Climbing down the stairs, she dropped onto her hands and knees, then dusted herself off. She grabbed a torch, and held it up, to reveal a form lying on Spike's bed. Moving closer, to see what it was, she held the torch higher. A hand shot out, and grabbed her wrist, and eyes flicked open, to reveal the shining blue orbs that she remebered drooling over.  
  
" 'Ello Nibblet." 


	5. Spoilers, Slaying, and kicking Connor's ...

A/N : No one is picking up on my subtle hints of different characters. (sniff) So you're getting a whamy of pain and torture for little Dawn! (evil grin) Fed up with the whiny bitca, she's gonna be seventeen, and she still acts like a 12 yr old. Hence pain and despair for the littlest Summers. Thanks to Insane1, for *finally* getting the last chapter of her fic up there. I love her stuff, and I'd recommend anyone who likes this to read her stuff cos hers is the cake to my bread. I know, Iknow, I should get on with the story. But I won't.  
  
I'm not putting anymore up until I have more reviews, so if ya like this, shout out and say so! Okay(grumbling as Insane1 pokes her in the arm) I'm getting on with it. Ow! On with the fic.  
  
Dedication: To Moonflwer who *finally* got it up there! And Insane1, who *hates* Dawn more than I do.  
  
"Spike?" Dawn stepped back, and stared at the bed. Spike was battered, bruised, and bloody. His blue eyes were the only things that remained the same. Even his hair had grown out.  
  
"Yeah. It's me. Now will ya tell me what the bloody hell you're doin' in my crypt when big sis wouldn't let ya in 'ere *before* I left?" Spike painfully hauled himself up on his elbows, and stared at the girl.  
  
"Buffy is so dumb, she won't have realised I sneaked out. And I always come here. I clean it and stuff." Dawn gestured to the posters stuck on the walls and the scented candles in varied shades of pink and purple that stood around the crypt. Catching sight of the posters, she realised that someone had tried to rip them down.  
  
"Oh no! Who did that? I *knew* Clem didn't like Britney!" she said indignantly.  
  
"I did it. I'm a vampire, not a teenager with no friends. Get out!" Spike yelled. Dawn stared at her former cohort.  
  
"What did I do?" she said softly, as tears started to streak down her cheeks.  
  
"I wanted to sleep with your sis, I babysat you. Now there's no chance of me with her, so get out. I may be neutered but hangin' with you is a torture I no longer need to endure," Spike said, injecting 2 suffering years worth of venom into his voice.  
  
"O..kay. I'll.go," Dawn snuffled, as she climbed up the stairs slowly.  
  
"Wait platelet." She turned, hope sparking in her eyes.  
  
"Take your crap with you," Spike said with his eyes closed, gesturing at the walls. Dawn fled.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Cat stretched out, and tried to fall asleep. It was no good. As far as her body was concerned, it was not going to fall asleep. With a sigh, she sat up, and instantly was awake. What's wrong with me? Normally I fall asleep really quickly?  
  
Cat swung herself off the couch, and stood up. And knocked over the coffee table.  
  
Buffy paused, and dropped the crossbow she'd been loading. She raced down th4e stairs, to see Cat in the middle of the room, righting the coffee table.  
  
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep," Cat said, apologetically.  
  
"Oh god, I shoulda thought. You're a Slayer, so your Spidey sense will go off at nightime," Buffy said, smiling. Cat rasied an eyebrow.  
  
"What?" Buffy demanded, pouting. Cat cracked up.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just, in every fanfic I've ever read, you *always* end up pouting. And saying your *Spidey sense* is tingling. It's just too funny!" she gasped, trying to stop laughing.  
  
"Fanfic? "Buffy asked, puzzled.  
  
"I told you, back home, you're a TV show. And people have sites that are based around the show, on which they publish fanfiction. And spoilers. So I have read the most bizarre situations on there, and all the cliches in this show come out to play," she finished.  
  
"*what* have you read?" Buffy demanded.  
  
"Trust me, getting with Spike is not the worst situation. Actually, it's kinda good!" Cat mused, thinking what she could shock Buffy with, but leave her conscious.  
  
"What is the worst!"  
  
"Well, there's threesomes with you, Faith and Giles. But then there's a whole range of fic on you and Ethan Rayne," Cat said matter of factly.  
  
"Ewwwwwwwwww!" The Slayer looked ready to pass out.  
  
"Yeah. So now sleeping with Spike is *not* the worst thing that ever happned to you. At least he doesn't go phsyco when you wake up!" Cat pointed out.  
  
"But he's evil. " Buffy crossed her arms like a five year old ready to do battle.  
  
"Maybe. But so is Riley!' Cat cracked up again, and catching sight of Buffy looking blank, sighed and started to explain *that* joke.  
  
"Everyone I know *hates* Riley. He was boring, a ken doll, and I think the standard nickname is Fishboy. There are hundreds of Angel/Riley stories where Riley gets beaten into a bloody pulp. And they're hilarious!"  
  
"So let me get this straight. The one *vaguely* normal boyfriend I've ever had everyone hates?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah. You're meant to be with vampires, honey!"  
  
"That is *so* not funny!" Buffy punched Cat in the arm, lightly, but with Slayer strength, it constituted as an 'Owie' in Cat's book. She punched her back.  
  
"I rthink it's safe to say you won't mind goig patrolling," Buffy said, wincing as she held her arm. Cat smiled smugly.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"So Spike and *Willow* stuff is on the net?" Buffy asked, as she fiddled with a stake.  
  
"Uh huh. And *so* much Angel and Willow it's unbelievable. But Buffy/Angel shippers are still the favourite," Cat said, patting Buffy on the arm.  
  
"Okay. Ooh, vamp nearby, you wanna do this one?' Buffy asked, and handed Cat a stake.  
  
"Are you sure I'm a Slayer? That I won't try to get this into him, and end up like a flat tyre?" Cat asked, sceptically.  
  
"Just stake him already!" Buffy complained. Cat laughed.  
  
"You and your sister can be so alike sometimes!"  
  
"Take that back," the Slayer said, her eyebrows arched, and her arms folded.  
  
"Staking in progress. Back soon," Cat said quickly, and darted off, leaving Buffy to complain,  
  
"But you didn't take it back!"  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
The two girls strolled down the street, licking ice cream, and laughing.  
  
"So what happened then? " asked Cat.  
  
"Well this vamp started *listing* the sex stuff Angel had used on his mate, and Angel just stood there, and if vampires could blush, he would have. And then we were like, he has a soul, and he was like, I don't care, I want to kill him, all she wants to do is have me torture her now, and Angel just whips out a stake and dusts him, and doesn't talk to me for the next few days!" Buffy finished, laughing. She had been a little unerved by the fact that the entire *world* could see her and Angel, whenever, and now the whole Spike thing was wide out in the open, but it meant sharing stories she would *never* tell anyone who didn't already know stuff.  
  
"So when he came back, did you ask him about it?" Cat questioned, licking her ice cream.  
  
"Who, me?" Buffy asked, innocently. " Nah. Just put handcuffs and rope on my bed while I was out, and reaped the fun of teasing a vamp!" They burst out laughing.  
  
"Hey, is that, *Dawn*?" Buffy asked, pointing at a slim figure in the distance.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," Cat replied, squinting at the girl. Almost waist length dark hair, tiny figure, tall, yeah, Dawn sprang to mind.  
  
"*Dawn*!" Buffy's yell stopped everyone within a 2 mile radius.  
  
"Yeah, *that* will do it!" Cat snickered. The figure they thought was Dawn ran in the opposite direction.  
  
"Dawn?" Cat asjked casually.  
  
"Dawn." Buffy replied.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Dawn climbed the trellis, and hauled herself inside. Landing on the floor, she stripped quickly, and jumped into bed. The front door clicked, and she could hear through the window, that girl's voice. It must be the new Slayer, on patrol. *She'd* never been given icecream after patrol!  
  
Buffy led Cat upstairs, and into her room.  
  
"Basic artillary weapons. Bow, stakes, staff, general stuff," she began, but Cat was straing at the butterflies on the wall.  
  
" What?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The meaning of the butterflies, there are so many reasons floating around. I don't want to know, I'll stick with being a fanfic writer on that one.." she paused.  
  
"*You* write fanfic?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah I do. Mainly about you and Spike!" Cat laughed. Buffy sighed.  
  
The next day, Angel and Connor managed to meet them in the sewers. Willow and Oz had gone to a film, taking Dawn with them. Anya and Xander had met up at some weird café place, to 'talk', which meant wild screaming sex, and stilted conversation.  
  
"Hey," Cat greeted them with, as she dropped in. Angel nodded.  
  
"Hi." Connor looked at the girl. Not stunning, more freckles, and shoulderlength reddish hair, but she was still pretty.  
  
"You must be Connor. Pretty dumb question, I've seen the end of Season Three, and spoilers for Season Four, and I plan on *watching* Season Four, so don't tell me anything!" Ct pronounced, her hands on her hips.  
  
"I wasn't gonna," Connor said. The English accent remained. (1)  
  
"Oh, God, you will not *believe* how great it is to hear an English accent. I keep on dropping into American, and I like being British, and there's no Spike to ask about, so you're the only thing resembling English at the moment," Cat said excitedly.  
  
Connor looked puzzled, then his expression cleared.  
  
"Nice to meet you, too," he said politely. Angel smiled proudly.  
  
"Hey. So, battle plan?" Buffy asked, sliding into the sewer.  
  
"You've been around Oz."  
  
"Yup. Staying with us at the moment, to keep Willow happy. Anyway,what's happening?"  
  
Angel smiled. " I was planning on going back to the mansion, and starting training there. Connor can spar with you, Buffy, and I can start some stuff with Cat."  
  
"That sounds cool," Cat said, looking at Buffy.  
  
"Spar with Connor? Wouldn't I hurt him?' Buffy asked Angel.  
  
" I can hold my own," Connor said, smiling at Cat. Cat grinned back.  
  
"Okay, that's the plan."  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
  
  
In the mansion, Angel whisked Cat away to start off some basic training, while Buffy and Connor started to spar. She soon realised that he was just as good at certain things, and being the son of two vampires gave his fighting an 'edge'.  
  
Angel stood in the middle of the room, and pushed Cat in front of him.  
  
"I'm going to blindfold you. Your Slayer sense should tell you where I am, and I want you to try to hit me with the staff, "he explained. Cat nodded.  
  
"But, at the same time, I'm going to try to attack you, by throwing knives. You have to dodge them, and find me at the same time. Three hitsd means I'm dead," he finished, with a small smile. He tied a blindfold on her.  
  
Okay, *this* feels like Buffy. Only more of a Giles moment. She reached out, and tried to hit the area around her, but just then a knife whistled through the air at her. A prickling down her spine strted and, she could *feel* Angel standing towards a certain area.  
  
"I can tell you've picked up on it," he said, moving slightly. She spun, and *felt* himfacing her. She lashed out, and felt the staff strike his arm.  
  
"Ow!" Angel rubbed his arm.  
  
That hurt!  
  
"I'm guessing I hit an owchie?" came the sarcastic retort, and Cat lashed out again. It was easy, Angel hadn't moved, asnd she hit him squarely in the centre of his torso.  
  
"Okay, enough with the staff. Your Slayer sense works just fine," he said, rubbing his stomach.  
  
"And your sarcasm," he muttered.  
  
"What was that?' Cat picked up on the murmer instantly.  
  
"Nothing, nothing! It's like Cordelia all over again."  
  
Angel flew back by about eight paces, and slammed into the wall. Cat examined her knuckles. They were unhurt, by shoving 150 pounds at least of solid male into the wall.  
  
Huh. Guess I can hit harder, then  
  
"Shall we go and see what Buffy and Connor are doing, then?" Angel asked, clutching his side.  
  
"Uh uh. I thought this was a training session. When do I get to practise staking a vamp?" Cat asked with a wicked smile.  
  
"You and Spike would get on, *so* well. He always had a thing for bating older vampires, too," Angel replied, and then looked startled.  
  
"You're not going to hit me?" Cat smirked.  
  
"No, I like Spike! He's cool." Angel sighed, and shook his head.  
  
  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Connor punched in at Buffy's side, and she flipped out of the way, and came in wirth a roundhouse kick. He blocked it, and tossed her. She landed behind him, and dropped as he kicked upwards.  
  
"Okay, stop the massacre," Cat said, walking into the room.  
  
"Hi Cat. The work out not too strenuous?" Buffy asked, then sized up Angel. If vampires needed to pant, he'd be doing that.  
  
"Yeah. I want to do some hand to hand stuff, you know when you first fought Spike's henchman at the Bronze, and sent Xander off to find a stake, and fought him hand to hand which was *so* funny, what with the going through your bag, and the stuff he pulled out!" Cat laughed. "Season two," she explained.  
  
"*Right*. Anyway, if you want to spar, Connor's good. And he'll teahc you some stuff that I don't know," Buffy said, pushing the boy forward.  
  
They started to fight, and the adults walked off, leaving the teens to get on with it.  
  
"So how's L.A?" Buffy asked, gazing up at the vampire.  
  
"Good. Gunn and Fred are looking after the Hyperion, and Cordy stops in when she can. Connor is gonna start school this fall, and we have a new case to work on. All in all, life is good," Angel said, smiling at her.  
  
"Well, ever since Willow pulled that 'I want to end the world' stunt, we've been resting on our, what do you call 'ems? "She looked up, laughing. "Qwhatever they are. Giles is in England, and Anya is still vengence gal, but I think she and Xan are working on that."  
  
"What about Spike?" The question came nonchalently, but Buffy knew just how badly it must have hurt, to hear that the one you loved had been with your worst enemy. It had felt that bad when she heard about Darla.  
  
"Nothing. He left, and hasn't been back since. I thought that since, well, I haven't heard from him." Buffy looked at her hands.  
  
" How about Dawn?' Angel had never called Dawn anything but Dawn. No nicknames, not even Dawnie. She had idolised him, and hated Buffy, but Angel had seemed to take no notice.  
  
"Dawn's Dawn. Sneaking out, seventeen, me with side effects, basically. I suppose it's because shes that much screwed up, but she doesn't listen, and she's failing school. At this rate, she won't graduate next year. " Buffy shifted.  
  
"Do you mind? " Angel asked, placing a hand on top of hers.  
  
"Yes.But, the only person she actually listened to, was Spike. And he's gone. "  
  
The shouts that accompanied successful strokes in the fighting changed to a yell of pain.  
  
"We'd better go," Angel said, and chased after her.  
  
Cat had Connor in a headlock.  
  
"Apologise," she demanded.  
  
""What are you *doing*! The exercise was to fight, not, fight."Angel trailed off.  
  
"He said that I might be the next Slayer, but I would run away screaming from the first vamp to come my way, and that unless I had a cross tattooed on my pulse points, I would get bit my first night out!" Cat said, indignantly.  
  
"Kill him," Buffy said, her eyes narrowing . Angel stared at her. "What? She's a Slayer, you gotta respect that!"  
  
"Connor, son, apologise, and I'll bet Cat will let you go," Angel said soothingly.  
  
"Like hell I will!" Cat said. "He insulted me, and my fighting skills, now I show him just how *puny* I am!"  
  
"I'm not apologising!" yelled Connor, and yelped as she increased the choke hold.  
  
"You'd better," she said, calmly, adjusting the way she stood.  
  
"Children! Behave! If you break something, I.. " Angel stopped.  
  
"*I'm* going to break something!" Buffy threatened. Cat released Connor, and stepped back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(1) Can't remember whether Connor *had* an English accent or not, but my guess is that he would, Holtz being the only one around. 


	6. Rambling, ticklefights, and Spike

A/N: Kay, 1 new review, but it doesn't seem like anyone's reading my story, but guess what? More is going up! I have absolutely *no* idea what is gonna happen, so this is kinda a miracle. If you have any suggestions, put them in the reviews. Hint hint. I looove feedback! Anyway, if there's a continuity thing, tell me, but I think this is Okay, And I know this is mainly fluff, but I wanted to be able to set up some stuff for later, and an Angel friendship was required. Plus, no Dawn, be happy!  
  
Angel and Cat stood in the mansion, waiting for Buffy and Connor to finish.  
  
"So in your world, I'm on TV?"Angel asked, interested.  
  
"Yeah. You and even Connor. Oh, the baby episodes were *so* sweet! But then they *had* to bring angst into it, so Cordy could be all meaningful, so they conveniently dropped through a portal so he could become the *teen* element in AI. Like we would drool over him, when Angel has been the gorgeous one we dream about since..."Cat began scornfully, then blushed.  
  
"I. didn't.. just.say that, did I?" Angel nodded. He grinned.  
  
"So I'm the cute factor in Buffy?" he asked. He'd picked up on her use of the term a while back.  
  
"Nu uh, mister. You switched to *Angel*. Which is *almost* always more angsty, except for the baby Connor bits! Now Spike's the cute factor. And if it helps, I like Spike best, especially where he's definitely naked!" Cat looked down, and blushed again. "Oh crap."  
  
"so you have a thing for Spike?' Angel teased.  
  
"No, I *had* a thing for the character. Spike in the flesh is *so* not what I want to crush on, particularly after the stories *I've* read!" Cat shuddered at the memory of the Giles/Spike stuff she had read, in a moment of curiosity.  
  
"Anyway, I'm loving the Cordy goodness, I loved her TV show, it was so cool, and I'm forgetting you didn't know about that.." Cat stared at Angel.  
  
"Oh My God! I just remembered!" She slugged Angel hard in the gut.  
  
"Ouch. What was that for?" he asked, frowning.  
  
"How could you *do* that? You and Buff would've been fine. And the cuteness of you in human form, and the ice cream, I watched tha bit about a million times, my copy broke! " Angel's confusion cleared, and then his jaw dropped.  
  
"So people *saw* that?" he asked, his voice squeaking.  
  
"Yuh huh. *And* the table bit. Boy, when you want to sleep with the girl, you don't stop! "Cat giggled, and watched as Angel turned a deep, rosy red.  
  
"How come you do that? Is it a just-eaten thing? Cos I would *love* to know. Then I can catch Spike in the nude in my latest story, and he can blush. I had to write it out, cos people pointed out he couldn't but you can, and so. just tell me already!" Cat demanded.  
  
"You watch that show too much, " Angel said frowning.  
  
"Hey! If I didn't I would have staked you by now! You're a vamp, remember? Only people that know it's a soul that's buzzing in your head wouldn't stake you when you subject them to *that* bad a rendition of 'Mandy'!" Cat poked him in the chest.  
  
" It's pretty!" Angel defended himself with.  
  
"Not when it's sung by you!" Cat retorted. She reached out, and thinking what all the stories suggested, attempted to tickle the big bad Angelus.  
  
"NO! Stop! Please, don't do that! STOP!!!" Angel squirmed, and Cat watched in amazement as one of the best ideas played with came to life. A vamp turned into a kitten when you tickled them.  
  
Angel lay on the ground, motionless. She bent down, and poked him, and he grabbed her, and tickled back.  
  
"A tickle fight. How childish," Buffy commented, watching her ex and student roll around trying to crease the other up long enough to get away.  
  
"Hey Buffy! Come play!" Cat called, and Buffy marched over. Starting to talk, two pairs of hands grabbed her and tickled fast and furious.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
"So what do you think he's doing there?" Fred mused, as she blew a kiss at Gunn. Gunn paused loading up his cross bow to blow one back, then said,  
  
"It's Angel, right? And he's wih blondie. My guess is he's brooding."  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Willow and Oz walked back hand in hand.  
  
If anyone sees us they'll think we're boyfriend and girlfriend, but we're not, well, we were, but we're not, and we coud be, and naughty Willow! Girls, not boys, remember? But Oz is so cute, with the little grin, and the hair, and the cute grin, and did I mention the sweet little way he smiles at me? asked her inner monolgue.  
  
"Hey Will? Ice cream?" Oz pointed toward a large sign proclaiming the prospect of ice creamy goodness.  
  
"Yeah," she sighed, then  
  
*bad* Willow!  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Spike dressed, and today was one of the first in which his shirt didn't pull on the scars that crisscrossed his back. He smiled, and carried on dressing. Today, finality on a package he called "Slayer'. He was fed up with her spectre, laughing at him.  
  
-you thought you had a chance. You, William the Bloody. Tried to get someone to get rid of the chip, and ended up without balls,let alone a dick!  
  
She haunted his dreams, drifting in and out. She danced through his thoughts, his kills, and when he tried to make sense of the tangle of plotlines that Passions had changed to while he was away. Stupid bint!  
  
He flung his duster over the top, and stormed out of the crypt.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Correction. *Would* have stormed out, if that big ol' ball of burning gas hadn't smiled down on him.  
  
He sulked.  
  
^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^  
  
Connor sat on the couch, flicking thorugh the channels. Passions, a soap Cordy watched avidly was on. He slumped back, totally confused, but enjoying the peace. First, he'd sparred with not one, but *two* Slayers. So bruises everywhere. Then he'd hung with an insane girl who'd told him his mother was a ho. In the *literal* sense. Working gal. He needed time to prepare himself for the hurricane.  
  
" Hey." Angel sat beside him.  
  
"Hey." Angel fell back, and relaxed.  
  
"That girl could talk over *Drusilla* !" his father commented, and Connor grinned.  
  
"Yup. Maybe when she turns up, we set Cat on her. "  
  
"Next time I see Dru, I will stake Miss Edith. She'll probably take more notice of *her*, " Cat commentedas she walked in, and slumped into an armchair.  
  
"Hey guys ! Ready for training?" Willow sang out. Oz stepped in behind her. They greeted her with a chorus of groans.  
  
"Guess not," Oz commented. Willow went into the kitchen, and began to prepare lunch. Oz sat down and stuck out his hand.  
  
"Hey, I'm Oz. You're Cat." Cat looked at it, smiled, and shook it.  
  
"Yeah, I know. How was the film?"  
  
"Full of the funnies. How was training?"  
  
"Kicked Connor's butt. Wacked Angel with a stick."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Uh huh." "Cool." The others watched the exchange. Cat smiled.  
  
"I always loved the way Oz talked, it was just, so , *Oz*, you know? And the hair thing, and the funny little comments, like the animal crackers thing. And Scott Evil is so not as cool," she said dreamily.  
  
"Scott Evil? Something I should kill?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No! It's a film, Austin Powers? "No comprehension registered.  
  
"In it there's a spy, and it's basically a parody of James Bond. Scott Evil is the son of Dr Evil, and he's so gorgeous! And there's the whole, he's the only good one on the team, and then there's Dr Evil's clone,Minime, and ." she came to a stop. They looked slightly dizzy.  
  
"Okay, I get it! I talk too much, but *you* try droppingb into a TV show sometime, and see how relaxed *you* are!" Cat said.  
  
"No, I mean, you don't talk too much, but we're a little tired, okay?" Buffy said.  
  
"Fine. I'm gonna go for a walk." Cat got up, and walked out of the house, toward the graveyard.  
  
"Sleeping in progress?" Willow asked, walking in, and they all replied with a snore.  
  
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&  
  
Cat swung the door to the crypt open, and stepped inside. She had always wanted to be in here, here was where Dru shocked Buffy with electricity, and Spike sang.  
  
Oooh, Spike singing, goooood memory! Bad Cat!  
  
She walked in, touching the stake in her back pocket. She didn't think anyone was here, but vamps were like squatters, once one had lived there, if he moved on, they took over. She lifted the trapdoor easily, and clambered down. Her flashlight (to make the distinction between the flame things, and a lightbulb one, I'm using American) flickered up over the walls, and she caught sight of... Nsync??  
  
"What the..?" she said, and Spike strode out from the shadows.  
  
"Yeah, I'd say the same thin' " 


End file.
